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“Thanks, a lot,” I said as I got up from the stool.
The waitress smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Callahan. Have a brilliant day.”
I grabbed my jacket off the back of the chair and headed for the door. The bell chimed again on my way out and I left the diner feeling empty.
As I ran to the car, I realized I should have had the balls to ask if Allison still worked there. But that would have been too random and didn’t feel right. What if I lost the only means I had to see her? I decided I would go back a few more times on different days before I jumped to any conclusions.
***
The ride back to Boston was slow and painful. It was cold out, but I opened the car windows anyway and let the frigid air hit my face in an attempt to snap out of my depression.
I had to stop at the condo to change back into my work suit, seeing as though I wanted to dress down for the diner, so as not to tip Allison off.
I pulled my jeans off, replacing them with my black Armani pants. Just as I was taking off my shirt, the phone rang. I usually let my answering machine pick up calls to my landline phone, since all of my important contacts have my cell phone number, so its usually just telemarketers calling me at home.
As I slipped my purple pinstriped dress shirt on and fastened the ‘trendy’ suspenders Karyn bought me, I heard a female voice on the machine.
Hi, Mr. Callahan. I got your number from the Boston white pages. I am hoping it’s the right Cedric Callahan, but there was only one. I am calling from the Stardust diner. You were in here about an hour ago. I am so sorry but you must have been in a rush and you left your credit card in the bill folder. Your waitress tried to catch you, but you had already left the area. Anyway, if this is your number, we are open until eleven tonight, so feel free to come by anytime; we’ll hold here for you. My name is Allison; I’ll be working tonight, so you can ask for me.
CHAPTER 5
ALLISON
It was rare to be home during the afternoon. Sonia and I had switched shifts today, so that she could go out with Tom tonight. I offered to take her evening shift instead. Sonia was part-time at the diner and only worked a few nights a week. When the phone rang, I had just stepped out of a relaxing bath, wrapped in a towel and decided to let the answering machine pick up.
A loud British voice startled me. “Al…Al…pick up…you’re never gonna believe—”
I picked up the phone once I realized Sonia sounded frantic.
“Sonia? What’s up…aren’t you at work?”
“Oh my God—yes. Your guy…he was here. Al….Blue Eyes…Blue Eyes was here…except he has a name. It’s Cedric. Cedric Callahan!”
“Wha…what? How do you know it was HIM?” I shouted into the phone.
“Delores recognized him immediately. She pulled me aside and Oh my God, he was actually how you described him: piercing blue eyes…hair you want to run your fingers through…sexy as all hell. He was dressed down, too, Al…he looked so friggin’ hot. And get this: he ordered the salt bagel and coffee again so there was absolutely no doubt that it was him.”
“Wait…how did you get his name?” I was shaking. Words cannot describe how devastated I was that I was not working today. So. Utterly. Pissed.
“Ok, here’s the best part. Are you ready for this? He paid with a credit card. That’s how I got his name. But when he went to sign it, he rushed off so fast…he friggin’ left it here! I am standing here holding Cedric Callahan’s credit card!” Sonia screamed into the phone. She better be out of Max’s earshot.
Cedric Callahan. Oh my. The name certainly suited him.
“Are you going to try and look his number up, call him…so we can let him know we have his card?” I asked.
“Well, I figured since you’d be in here in an hour, I’d wait…to give you time to get here, unless of course, he figures it out first. Allison, you better get your ass up here in case he comes back.”
I didn’t know how I felt about this. I had been waiting hopelessly for this guy to come back to the diner for weeks. I was fairly certain that he was a one-time thing and that I would never see him again…ever. Now, he would definitely be coming back.
“Ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hung up the phone without waiting to hear her response. I needed to get out of my house as fast as possible AND make myself look decent. I grabbed the blow dryer and shook it through my hair faster than ever before. I stopped to put on under eye concealer, eyeliner and mascara, which I never bother to do when I am working at the diner, but I had to look my best in case he came in tonight. I hated having to put on this ugly uniform, but threw on a short fitted navy cardigan to cover the top. I dabbed on a few spots of mauve colored lipstick, threw on my corduroy beige pea coat and slammed the door behind me.
It was a cold fall day outside and the chill of the air hit my still damp head hard. I grabbed my knit hat out of my tote. Waiting for the commuter rail train seemed to take forever as my heart pounded out of my chest in anticipation.
***
Seven stops later, I exited the train and walked (well, jogged) the two blocks to the Stardust. My heart was pounding as I entered the chaos of the diner lunch crowd.
“Al!” Sonia rushed over to me. “He hasn’t come back yet. I just searched the white pages on my phone and found this listing in Boston. It’s the only Cedric Callahan in Massachusetts. It’s gotta be him.”
